Join myself, my coauthor and many others for Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Oh, and there will also be guest authors and prizes on Sat and Sun in between! Oh, and all the books are $1.99 or less. Our two books are just .99 cents!

November 22, 1963: a day that probably doesn’t need an introduction. On this day, 51 years ago, President John F. Kennedy was assassinated. Because of all the research we’ve done for the What She Knew Trilogy, we think the four following bits of history will be new to you.

1) How Long of a Break Was There in Major Network Programming Following the Assassination?

The Kennedy assassination in many ways changed the face of news and television. Prior to September of 1963, network news broadcasts had only been 15 minutes long, and they had just changed to thirty. When CBS famously interrupted As the World Turns to broadcast the news, they didn’t even have a live anchor on film, they just ran an announcement over a news placard. News had still not become the destination event it would evolve into over the next few decades.

But for the next four straight days, the major networks suspended all programming as they covered the Kennedy assassination, death, and upcoming funeral, and other related events, such as the assassination of Kennedy’s supposed killer, Lee Harvey Oswald, two days later. Americans weren’t getting their news about the event from the newspaper, they were getting it from radio and television.

The event brought the news into a new era, and those four days of suspended programming would not be seen again until September 11th, the next event that truly changed the face of the news.

2) Who Died at Parkland Hospital?

After being shot, Kennedy was rushed to nearby Parkland Hospital, where he was soon pronounced dead. Two days later, Kennedy’s assassin, Lee Harvey Oswald, was being transferred to a more secure jail when he was shot in the basement of the Dallas police headquarters by Jack Ruby. Oswald was taken to Parkland Hospital where he eventually died. Several years later, Ruby himself became ill and died of a pulmonary embolism due to lung cancer at, that’s right, Parkland Hospital.

3) What Happened to the Window From Which JFK Was Shot?

John F. Kennedy was shot from the window of the Texas Book Depository. So, a few years later, the building’s owner, David Harold Byrd had the window removed and framed to be hung in his home. However, a subsequent owner of the building, Aubrey Mayhew, claimed that actually Byrd had removed the wrong window and so Mayhew took out the supposedly correct window. Both Mayhew and Byrd’s son have tried to sell the windows on eBay, running into problems when dealing with the other’s claims.

4) Who is the Only President to be Sworn in by a woman?

Lyndon Johnson is America’s only President to have been sworn in by a woman. However, Johnson wasn’t trying to make a statement. They needed to find someone to swear him in quickly, so they pulled Federal Judge Sarah T. Hughes to administer the Presidential oath. LBJ was sworn in aboard Air Force One while the others onboard – including Jackie Kennedy – looked on as the new President of the United States took over for the now-deceased John F. Kennedy.

November 22, 1963 will remain one of the darkest days in American history. By this one event, a new future was forged. We can never go back, never know what might have been if JFK had lived. We can only wonder. This is one reason why we wrote the What She Knew Trilogy.

We hope we were able to bring to light some little known facts in history and maybe even peak your interest in our ‘what if’ saga.

We have a special treat today, author Nese Ellyson has stopped by to share her newest release “Darke Heat.” Here’s a little bout the story:

Great cover, right!

DEA Agent Bryce Prescott is back in Darke County to ask beautiful Page Conner for another one of her specially trained dogs so he can catch a drug lord who likes explosives. The only problem is, the last dog he borrowed ended up pregnant.

Page is none too pleased to have Bryce coming back around. She still carries a grudge from him walking out on her when he thought she couldn’t handle his profession. He took her dog, Sheba, with him and that has her seeing red; but when a dead body is found on her property she needs his help.

Someone is out to get her and they have no choice but to team up and catch some killers.

Here’s some info about the author, Nese Ellyson:

Nese Ellyson lives in a small town in rural Ohio with her own Prince Charming, two boys, and a cat they rescued. She’s an avid fan of romance, particularly when it has a suspense element. She’s always brimming with ideas and loves getting her thoughts down on paper. She’s active in house renovating and loves to hear from her readers. You can find her on face book at www.facebook.com/nese.ellyson and on twitter at https://twitter.com/NeseDenise

Here’s an excerpt from the book:

There was a commotion out in the hallway. Two deep voices were talking. Paige smiled, knowing who they were by the sounds of their voices. Seconds later, her brothers came into the room carrying a potted plant and a balloon.

“Hey, Paige, what’ve you been doing with yourself?” asked Colt as he leaned over and kissed her cheek.

“Besides blowing up stuff that is,” said Dane. He waited for Colt to back away, and then leaned over to give her a kiss as well.

She drank in the sight of them. It had been a couple of months now since she’d seen them. Colt looked a little thinner and pale as if he was recovering, which he was. He’d been shot in the chest, and one of his lungs had collapsed, but they had gotten him out of wherever he was and doctored him up.

Dane had the most dramatic change. His eyes were harder. The sharp angles to his face more pronounced. He looked meaner and more dangerous than ever before. But he and Colt looked beautiful to her.

“I didn’t blow up anything,” she countered.

“That’s not what I hear. I hear you’ve got drugs, gangs, and dog fights going on over at your place,” said Colt.

“Good hunting if you ask me,” Dane replied, then held up his knuckles so Colt could tap them with his own in agreement.

“Guys, don’t go getting into trouble until I get out of here, so I can be available to post bail.”

“Colt, I think she thinks were troublemakers,” Dane said in mock offense.

“Why, we wouldn’t dream of causing any more trouble than you already have,” replied Colt.

“Kidnapping, explosions, fires, breaking and entering. Well hell! Colt, she ain’t’ left us no fun. She done did it all,” Dane said in a disappointed tone.

“You know, bro, I thought we went in the military to get to do all that stuff.”

“You’re right. We did.”

“So how come sis here’s been seeing all the action?”

“Good question. If I’d known I could do it in my own backyard, I wouldn’t have had them fly my butt out to a desert where no one speaks English.”

“Yeah, seems they should’ve let us know that. I might have to have me that talk with Agent Prescott.”

“If you two clowns are done making fun of me, maybe you could find out when I can leave and how Bryce is doing.”

“Sure will, sis. You just sit there and get comfortable and we’ll get to gettin’.” Dane smiled at her. “Giving us orders already. Glad you’re okay, sis.”

“No shooting and no blowing anything up either!” she yelled after them as they walked out discussing various methods of hunting using C-four and semi-automatics.

Paige smiled after they left. God, it felt good to have the boys back.

Oh, man! We can’t wait to read this. You can preorder it right now, only $3.99.

Thank you Denise for stopping by and sharing your good news with us. Folks, be sure and check out her book on Amazon. Here’s the link: http://dld.bz/d2xb3 and remember, you can preorder it.

PRIZE ALERT!!

Denise is doing something special for one lucky blog reader. She’s offered to give away a $15.00 Starbucks Gift Card. Woot!! For every one who comments on this particular blog post that they are attending her book release party this coming Sunday at noon EST, in the comment area below, we will enter your name in Random.org for your chance to win the gift card!! Contest will go on from now until noon EST Sunday!! Here’s the link for the release party: http://dld.bz/d24xE

We have a special treat today. Dan Peyton, author of several books, is in the house! Let’s get into the interview, shall we?

Where are you from:

Stillwater, Oklahoma originally. Currently I live in Morristown, Tennessee.

Tell us your latest news?

I am about to release Legacy of the Dragonwand part 1, a young adult fantasy adventure story.

When and why did you begin writing?

I started in the 4th grade. My teacher, Mrs. Rogers, encouraged the students to write some everyday. They didn’t have any specific task, just write. I fell in love with writing then and wanted to keep doing it.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

In the 9th grade my English teacher did the same thing as my 4th grade teacher, she gave us free write time. We were to turn in what we wrote but I asked to be allowed to finish a book I had started. I had never actually tried writing a novel before so it was exciting. I turned it in way late, but the teacher let me. She lost it. I mean she actually took it home and could not find it. Time passed and she finally got it back and told me the story. Her mother was an professor at OSU and she took my book by mistake. She read it, graded it and then searched for the student who wrote it. It got a C….but for a 9th grader to get a C from a college professor is amazing. It also came back with a note attached that outlined some of the professors notes about what she liked and what she wanted to see improved. I was stunned….happily stunned to be exact. It was then that I knew that I could do it one day, I could be an author. But, first, I needed to be a writer and write, write, write.

What inspired you to write your first book?

My first book was a Star Trek novel. It was inspired by Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. However, what I wrote wasn’t fan fiction in the sense that I used other peoples characters, settings, and scenarios and just wrote my own telling. I created my own cast of characters, setting, situation….basically story. It was recognizably Star Trek, but it was my own series. (Which I have written several books into and the family loves.)

How did you come up with the title?

For my first book it was easy. Star Trek: 11th Fleet. It sort of was a prescribed title considering the genre it was written about.

For my newest book, Legacy of the Dragonwand, the title needed to tell a story in itself. I want the reader to see that title and ask “What is the legacy of the Dragonwand?” And, ultimately, “What is a Dragonwand?” which I hope will draw them into reading the book.

Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?

Not really. I wrote the Dragonwand book to be a fun read that is clean and exciting.

Wonderful! It can be so hard to find clean books. How much of the book is realistic?

As much as can be in a fantasy. What I try to do is make the fantasy seem as real as possible. The people are real, their pain, love, happiness, excitement, sorrow, loneliness, humor,…..basically personalities are all real as you and me. They get hungry, they get tired, they grump and complain about silly things. They like certain foods and not others. A slap to their face hurts just like anyone else. Most importantly, they aren’t perfect.

Are experiences based on someone you know, or events in your own life?

Hardly. This story is entirely fabricated out of my own odd little mind.

What books have most influenced your life most?

How much for just the planet by John M. Ford.

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

Ashes of Eden by William Shatner

The Bible by…..God.

Okay, I know that that sounds like your average over the top Christian answer, but let me explain. First, I do believe in the Bible, but that isn’t what I’m talking about. Have you sat down and read it recently…I mean really looked into the narrative? Its exciting, hilarious, sad, fun. The political intrigue is fascinating, the romances real. There is so much meat in the narrative in the scriptures that you can develop some really well rounded characters using it.

If you had to choose, which writer would you consider a mentor?

Wendy Siefken

What are your current projects?

1: Legacy of the Dragonwand part 1 (Publishing)

2: Legacy of the Dragonwand part 2 (Prepping for near future publishing.)

5: Remnant (First Rough Draft just completed and set aside for the moment.)

6: The Crystal Needle 3: The Map (Second draft editing right now, hoping to have it prepped in time for Christmas 2015 release.)

7: A Series of Shorts (A collection of my short stories that I may or may not turn into a book soon…waiting to hear back from betas about that idea.)

8: Asking myself over and over “WHAT WAS I THINKING?!” After making that list. (Not a book, just a statement.)

Wow! You are one busy writer!! Name one entity that you feel supported you outside of family members.

Social Media. Since I started getting in touch with other authors and indie publishers on Facebook I have learned so much about this. I have been able to get in touch with decently priced editors, some good beta readers, reviewers, bloggers, and just a lot of support that I didn’t know was out there. I have made a lot of virtual friends that I would love to meet one day.

Personal note: When I finally get as rich as Tolkien at this I am going to throw a giant convention for just all the author/publisher friends I have made on facebook and finally get to meet them all face to face. (It could happen.)

Do you recall how your interest in writing originated?

Not really, it has always been a part of me. I always loved telling the stories, inventing the characters, imagining how things might have been. When I was a kid and played with the other kids I would be the one that gave a narrative to the playground game we made up. I never really connected that it was the author in my blood until later, but looking back it was always in there.

Can you share a little of your current work with us?

The earth shaking bellow of a dragon caused Markus to jump to the ground in fear. Trembling all over, he cautiously lifted his head just as a golden dragon unleashed a volley of fire at an obsidian black dragon. The obsidian dragon shot back with a greenish hellfire. It was so great it exploded as far as Markus could see. He scrunched up his body in an attempt to avoid being burned alive.

Markus looked up again to find himself in the eye of a firestorm, greenish black fire was mixing with yellow and orange fire. The ground vibrated hard under his feet and the earsplitting screams of the dragons fighting was almost more than he could handle.

At once a huge black claw swooped down into the fires and scooped Markus up. The dark dragon held him so tight that he could barely breathe. The beast yelled out, “YOU HAVE LOST!!”

“HE WILL COME!” The golden dragon replied and then swooped over the fires and came up fast on the obsidian dragon. The golden dragon grabbed its foe by the tail then opened its maw to release a flurry of flames.

Markus struggled for air and clenched his eyes closed as the light orange fire washed over him. Oddly, the world went cold and the feel of the claws around his ribs left.

Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?

Getting the conversation perfect. I have been complemented on my conversation writing before, but I never seem to feel its good enough. I want the conversations between characters to flow so naturally that you hear them conversing. You feel like you are part of the discussion and could even throw in your own thoughts if it were just words on paper.

Do you have to travel much concerning your book(s)?

Not yet. But, I plan on expanding myself soon. I want to start taking part in genre conventions and working to make sales in person to people. I have tried so failed attempts at book signings, but looking back I realized I didn’t set in the proper crowd for what I write.

Who designed the covers?

Me. I draw them, edit them, and post them.

What was the hardest part of writing your book?

Editing. Hands down. I am by far no expert, like many authors, and find it tedious working out the editing. I know it is needed, but it’s needed like a cast on a broken arm. It can be annoying and seem to take forever, but you are really happy you had it done after it’s all over.

Did you learn anything from writing your book and what was it?

I tried a new thing with Legacy of the Dragonwand, I wrote a few scenes that were beginning/middle/end of a internal story that had no breakaways to other scenarios. You get the picture of what happens to the characters from the time they get into a situation and through it without looking out at what the main villain is up to, or where distant good guys are. I worried about it, but the betas loved it and I think it makes the story that much more interesting.

Do you have any advice for other writers?

The best advice is to not listen to too much authoring advice. Grammar advice, structure advice, cover art advice, publishing advice, it is all good if the source is reliable. But, there are a lot of people, authors and non-authors, that want to tell you how and what to write when it comes to developing the story. Sometimes it can be a good suggestion and something to think about, but often it is one persons style that they think is better than everyone else’s. Or worse, it is a non-author who thinks they know your job better than you. Tell your story with your voice not somebody else’s. Even if that somebody else is Stephen King, you aren’t Stephen King, you are you and be the best you…you can be.

Do you remember the first book you read?

The man who loved clowns.

Other than writing do you have any hobbies ?

I am an accomplished embroiderer and member of the Embroiderers Guild of America. I perform on stage as a semi-professional dancer in several styles, including tap and jazz, but mostly Okinawan traditional and modern. I am a pencil artist. At times I sing with the church during specials and events. And I love to cook, which has become more of a job than a hobby.

Amazing! We love that you dance. What TV shows/films do you enjoy watching?

Movies: Marvel Movies in general. The Hobbit Series. Harry Potter Series. Star Trek series. The Producers. (This list could go on and on and on. I used to work for Blockbuster, my movie collection is ridiculous.)

It would appear from your many generous contributions and what I have gathered from fellow followers of God’s teachings, that you are a good and faithful man. I was, at one time in my life, the same. The enclosed obnoxious photographs are of my late nephew, the novice Jesuit priest Alvaro Ramos. They were used by your daughter to obtain my signature on a legal document. I do not believe you sent her to me with that in mind.

I must trust in God’s forgiveness for my sins, as I put vanity, my family’s unblemished name and self-interest before the sworn duties of my office. I have betrayed God and my Church in a vulgar way. I am ashamed of myself and beyond redemption.

Your daughter is well vested in the ways of Satan. You must pray for her and yourself as I no longer can.